Compare towns
Brattleboro vs Middlebury vs Ripton vs Barre
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Vermont.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Brattleboro has the most kids (19% under 18).
Middlebury has the youngest population (median age 31.8).
Ripton has grown the fastest since 2010 (+25.7%).
Barre has the most affordable homes ($210k median).
Middlebury is a college town. 32.6% of residents are enrolled in college, which pulls its median age, poverty rate and renter figures away from what a year-round family would see.
What matters to you?
Pick a few. We’ll pull those rows to the top and mark which town comes out ahead on each. There’s no overall score: what matters is up to you.
| Measure | Brattleboro | Middlebury | Ripton | Barre |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 12,122Highest |
9,175 |
508Lowest |
8,412 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +1.1% VT: +2.8% |
+7.7% VT: +2.8% |
+25.7%Highest VT: +2.8% |
-6.2%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 45.6±4.5 6% above VT |
31.8±3.7Lowest 26% below VT |
47.7±14.2Highest 11% above VT |
42.2±6.6 about the VT average |
| Ripton and Brattleboro are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 19%±2.8Highest VT: 17.9% |
11.6%±1.9Lowest VT: 17.9% |
11.8%±6.3 VT: 17.9% |
13.5%±3.8 VT: 17.9% |
| Brattleboro and Barre are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 25.5%±3.2 VT: 21.4% |
20.7%±2.6 VT: 21.4% |
30.5%±7.1Highest VT: 21.4% |
19.4%±3.9Lowest VT: 21.4% |
| Ripton and Brattleboro are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 46.5% VT: 43.8% |
55.4%Highest VT: 43.8% |
48% VT: 43.8% |
36.1%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.1%±1.6 VT: 7% |
32.6%±1.1Highest VT: 7% |
20.1%±6.3 VT: 7% |
3.4%±1.9Lowest VT: 7% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $58,241±$8kLowest 28% below VT |
$86,169±$16k 6% above VT |
$112,917±$15kHighest 39% above VT |
$65,625±$7k 19% below VT |
| Ripton and Middlebury are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $257,300±$18k 19% below VT |
$409,700±$30kHighest 29% above VT |
$394,400±$61k 25% above VT |
$210,400±$15kLowest 34% below VT |
| Middlebury and Ripton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,074±$58Lowest 13% below VT |
$1,156±$113Highest 6% below VT |
— | $1,093±$58 11% below VT |
| Middlebury and Barre are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $5,700 13% above VT |
$6,868Highest 36% above VT |
$4,915Lowest about the VT average |
$5,192 3% above VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 46.9%±9.6 VT: 48.4% |
50.9%±14.4 VT: 48.4% |
52.9%±100Highest VT: 48.4% |
34.4%±10.3Lowest VT: 48.4% |
| Ripton and Middlebury are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 17.8%Highest VT: 10.1% |
10.7% VT: 10.1% |
8.6%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
17.3% VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 58.5% VT: 73.2% |
65.1% VT: 73.2% |
90.9%Highest VT: 73.2% |
50.4%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1955 21 yrs older than VT |
1976Highest same as VT |
1973 3 yrs older than VT |
1947Lowest 29 yrs older than VT |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 19 min 19% below VT |
16 minLowest 33% below VT |
24 minHighest about the VT average |
19 min 21% below VT |
| Work from home | 17.9%±4 VT: 16.9% |
18.8%±4.1Highest VT: 16.9% |
17.2%±8.7 VT: 16.9% |
10.5%±4.1Lowest VT: 16.9% |
| Middlebury and Brattleboro are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Schools | ||||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #33 of 70 in VT | #17 of 70 in VT | — | #19 of 70 in VT |
| School district | Windham Southeast Unified Union School District #96 | Patricia Hannaford Career Center · Addison Central Unified Union School District #55 | Addison Central Unified Union School District #55 | Barre Unified Union School District #97 · Central Vermont Career Center |
| High school in town | Brattleboro Union High School | Middlebury Union High School | None in town | Spaulding Union High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 9.0Lowest |
12.6Highest |
— | 10.7 |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | 6 photos → | None yet | None yet | None yet |
VT average · Sources: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-year estimates 2020–2024; 2010 & 2020 decennial census; NCES Common Core of Data. “±” is the Census margin of error. Property tax is top-coded by the Census at $10,000+. School rank compares math and reading proficiency against the state average.